Artist
Derek Allport has just started a major new project, drawing
attention to the area's memorable characters.
"These people come under the heading of Wasn't he/she a real
character.'
Sometimes they are also community stalwarts or achievers, but mostly
they are Individuals who leave a trail of stories behind them.
An example would be the Cut stories about Billy Biggs. People would
say Is Billy in It?'
We will feature one character per month for an Indefinite period. I
hope I can bring a smile to your face."

Former
Denaby Main miner Benny Wilkinson (85) is known as the 'Conisbrough
Poet' after writing hundreds of poems relating to places and
events around Mexborough where he grew up and later Denaby
and Conisbrough.

Benny has been awarded the Radio Sheffield
Poet Laureate award and the 'Pride in Doncaster Lifetime
Achievement' award.

His poems 'Denaby Neetmares' and Tom
Cat' have travelled the world, Benny has appeared in clubs
doing comedy routines and poetry readings.

Perhaps his most
moving work is his poem about the Cadeby pit disaster of
1912.